Brief essays on communication #1
version 1.2 – more words, exact same point.
two people agree.
The reader asks, “Which way?” or “Who am I?” or has any other thought that guides their attention to another person’s words. A reader is someone who pays some attention to what someone else says. That someone else is a writer.
“That way,” or “me,” the writer says. Now the reader decides whether to go as they would have, or as the writer said.
If words have any unique value, this is it. Every time words affect an other’s action, it takes two, an agreement.
two people add.
The rest is either other agreements, or two people spending time together. The reader gives more attention and the author gives more words. At best, it is good company.
Writers can only address a question that readers ask. With any other words the writer is only acting the reader.
Reader, go away! Get the answer you attended to and either go the way you intended or the way the writer suggested. Anything else is acting the writer.
multiply and divide.
If both people care about the words, we call it a “dialog”. This is two people, each being a reader and writer in two simultaneous agreements. Unhelpfully, the convention of a dialog is to pretend each is a writer in only one agreement.
A “disagreement” is a moment when the agreements are exposed for their differences. Unhelpfully, the two attempt to resume pretending there is one agreement. If this is ever you, remember you are a reader first. Go away until you have an action that begs a question, or are clearly asked one you can answer.
I’m going away.
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Brief Essay #2: Not the Point
Thought Repair 